WE
Contemporary dance & Live music
Who counts as human? Whose lives count as lives? Let’s face it!
Contemporary dance and live music encounter. “WE” draws inspiration from Anatolian esoterism on one hand, and from contemporary philosophy on the other hand, questioning the concepts of "unity in multitude", "empathy", "universal ethics".
* “WE” was produced for the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet - Modern Dance Ensemble Istanbul (MDTist) and is still in the MDTist repertoire. With our endless thanks to them for their support…
Concept and choreography by dancer-choreographer-director Bedirhan Dehmen, whose works have been staged at Moda Sahnesi, Istanbul Modern Art Museum, Maxim Gorki Theater (Berlin), Suzanne Dellal Center (Tel Aviv), Pavillon Noir (Aix-en-Provence) …
Music and live performance by Cem Yıldız, “Modern Times Ashik” and multi-instrumentalist who merges psychedelic Anatolian music with acid folk. He has performed in many world-famous electronic music festivals, from Montreux Jazz Festival to Sonar Barcelona.

© Julien Aksoy

© Murat Dürüm
In “we”, three male dancers in the performance space alternately move through series of trio movement forms in close and constant physical contact, dual action dialogues, and moments of individual outbursts of energy. They dig deep into their memories and bodies striving to explore what binds us together. They tirelessly search for unity in multiplicity while re-enacting and re-staging their experiences of communion and conflict, tenderness and violence, strength and vulnerability, and trauma and healing along the way.
Cem Yildiz, the renowned musician who distinctly re-interprets the Anatolian aşık (troubadour) tradition by introducing psychedelic and acid folk elements, joins and guides the djem (alevi-bektashi ritual) with his electro-acoustic musical universe.
Duration: 50 min.
Created with and Performed by Bedirhan Dehmen, Canberk Yıldız, Cem Yıldız, Mihran Tomasyan
Concept and Choreography Bedirhan Dehmen
Music Cem Yıldız
Lighting Design Kerem Çetinel
Costumes Günsu Sarı
Lights Melis Karaman
Social Media Planning Ponte Dijital
Production Biz Platform
Management Caféturc Music & Arts
Venues and festivals where “WE” performed
Abroad Maxim Gorki Theater (Berlin. As part of Voicing Resistance Festival), Suzanne Dellal Center (Tel Aviv. As part of Tel Aviv Summer Dance Festival), Les Halles de Schaerbeek (Brussels. As part of Europalia Arts Festival)
Turkey Istanbul Modern Art Museum, Fulya Sanat Merkezi (Istanbul. Aas part of Intercultural Dialogue Day, organized by Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, Modern Dance Ensemble), Moda Sahnesi (Istanbul), Bosphorus University, Karşıyaka Opera and Theatre (Izmir), Tiyatro D22 (Istanbul)

© Murat Dürüm

© Murat Dürüm

© Murat Dürüm
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